Applicants sought for Merced County Employees’ Retirement Association Board vacancies

Merced County officials are seeking applications to fill two vacancies on the county’s retirement board, they announced in a news release this week.

Applications received will be considered for two at-large openings on the Merced County Employees’ Retirement Association Board, which is made up of nine members. The board is responsible for the general management of the retirement system, including making benefit determinations and managing the investments of the system’s assets.

To qualify for the positions, applicants must reside in Merced County. Those who are eligible will be interviewed by the Board of Supervisors in an open-session meeting, according to county spokesman Mike North.

In late August, the Board of Supervisors rejected a recommendation to reappoint at-large member Mark Bodley to the position for another three years. Several supervisors, including District 4 Supervisor Deidre Kelsey, recommended recruiting more applicants for Bodley’s seat.

Kelsey, who’s been on the retirement board since 2009, also supported having all five supervisors interview potential appointees, as opposed to the two supervisors on a subcommittee, District 5’s Jerry O’Banion and former District 3 Supervisor Linn Davis.

Retirement board members are required by the California Fair Political Practices Commission to complete a Statement of Economic Interests. Members are also required to complete 24 hours of continuing education involving retirement policies and issues every two years.

The two at-large openings are eligible to receive compensation of $100 per meeting.

Interested parties should complete an application for membership, which can be found online at www.co.merced.ca.us/index.aspx?NID=250. The application can also be picked up at the Board of Supervisors office or by contacting the board clerk at (209) 385-7366.

Completed applications can be mailed or dropped off at the Board of Supervisors office from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The application period will end at 5 p.m. Friday.

This story was originally published January 26, 2015 at 8:24 PM with the headline "Applicants sought for Merced County Employees’ Retirement Association Board vacancies."